News Story
Louisville, KY - The Churchill Downs horse racing venue is famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby, part of horse racing’s Triple Crown. This historic racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky features a one-mile, dirt oval main track that’s 120 feet wide and an inside 7/8ths of a mile turf track that’s 80 feet wide. To improve the turf track, they brought in one of the top turf experts in the country. Based on his analysis, one of the key issues with the turf was the lack of deep root growth which in turn, affected the strength and stability of the turf.
Fountain, CO - When flags and mock rifles are thrown and spun into the air, a gymnasium floor could take quite a beating without proper gym floor protection. During the 2023 construction of the new 4,000-seat, $40 million Trojan Arena for Colorado’s Fountain-Fort Carson High School, the contractor wanted maximum protection for the gym floor. It was essential that marks, dents, and other potential damage from multi-use events were avoided including from Winter Guard – the indoor color guard sport of U.S. schools, drum corps and marching bands.
Des Plaines, IL - Over the years since its inception in 1927, a church in Des Plaines, Illinois has had many names and buildings until settling into their current building in 2007. Two years later, they changed their name to The Bridge Community Church and in 2009, they completed a major renovation. Their attendance began to grow as they reached out to their community. As a result, the many programs held in their auditorium ranged from smaller groups to very large groups.
Longwood, FL - This year’s NCAA Division II Softball National Championships will take place at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, Seminole County, Florida. Prior to this, 64 teams across the U.S. will compete in 16 regional sites in double-elimination tournaments. Winners advance to the super regionals to determine who moves on to the National Championships scheduled for May 17th to 25th at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park’s six, 220-foot natural turf fields.
Tuscaloosa, AL - Home of The University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team, Bryant–Denny Stadium is the 8th largest stadium in the United States and the 10th largest in the world. Opened in 1929, the stadium has seen many upgrades and improvements over the years. In 2023, plans were set in motion to change the more than 100 thousand-seat stadium’s playing field configuration and then apply new turf from one end of the field to the other.
Traverse city, MI - Located high up in north western Michigan, Traverse City is at the base of the East and West Arm of Traverse Bay which flows out to Lake Michigan. It’s home to Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) which oversees 10 elementary schools, two middle schools, a Montessori school, and three high schools – one of which provides alternative high school education. With over 8,000 students, TCAPS is dedicated to providing support for all learners in achieving their full potential.
Frankfurt, Germany - Located in Frankfurt, Germany, the German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund) or DFB oversees both the professional and semi-professional teams in the country. This includes five regional and 21 state associations of more than 25 thousand clubs. When they needed turf protection in one of their stadiums, they looked to COVERMASTER® for something that was cost efficient and at the same time, effective.
Antigonish, Nova Scotia - St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada is known for its academic excellence in arts, science, business, and education, as well as its immersive residence experience. In 2017, the university needed gym floor protection from non-athletic events. It ordered PLATINUM EASYROLL™ CARPET from COVERMASTER® for one of its gymnasiums. Then in 2023, they had a rush need for gym floor protection in a change in exam venues.
Etobicoke, Otario - Back in 2018, Woodbine Racetrack in the Etobicoke district of Toronto, ON Canada, moved harness racing to Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, ON. The inner oval harness racing track at Woodbine was then converted into a seven-furlong, Kentucky Bluegrass track for thoroughbred horse racing in 2019. Over the years, Woodbine’s improvements and enhancements have continued to rank them as one of the top, premier horse racing facilities in North America.
Albertville, AL - Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater is located in a 130-acre park in Albertville, Alabama that’s located north of Birmingham and northwest of Atlanta. It’s a sports, leisure, wellness, and entertainment venue that includes everything from an Aquatic Center, an Outdoor Waterpark, a Fitness Center, a Tennis Center, an RV Park, and more. The 6,700-seat amphitheater features top entertainment and musical acts throughout the year.
Beşiktaş, Istanbul - Beşiktaş J.K. in Instanbul, Turkey is one of the Big Three sports clubs in Turkey and one of the most successful teams in the country. Its football team has won 21 league titles including 16 Turkish Süper Lig, three Turkish National Division, and two Turkish Football Championship titles. It plays at the multi-purpose, 42,590-seat Beşiktaş Stadium which has had many accolades for its design and use of technology. But like any outdoor stadium without a roof, it’s open to rainy and snowy weather.
Charlotte, NC - What do you do to prevent your natural grass or artificial turf football field from freezing up in colder weather? Tepper Sports & Entertainment wanted to avoid this at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina - home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC of MLS.
Cobham, UK - Playing out of Stamford Bridge Stadium in Fulham, West London, the Chelsea Football Club competes in the Premier League, the top division of English football. Ranked as the fourth most successful football club in the United Kingdom (UK), Chelsea has a long history of success including six league titles, eight FA Cups, five League Cups, and four FA Community Shields. In addition to winning the UEFA Champions League, Chelsea has also won the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup, and in 2022, the FIFA Club World Cup.
Bridgewater, MA - Bridgewater State University (BSU), the largest of nine universities in Massachusetts, had worked with COVERMASTER® before when it came to sports surface protection for their facilities. When they were in need of a new gym floor cover in the John J. Kelly Gymnasium, COVERMASTER® was contacted. The gymnasium was not only home of the Bears basketball, wrestling, and volleyball teams, it also hosted such non-athletic events as assemblies and fairs. So, it was essential to protect their gym floor from potential damage.
Renton, WA - Seattle Sounders Football Club is celebrating the grand opening of a state-of-the-art facility in Renton, Washington - 11 miles southeast of downtown Seattle. The Sounders FC Center at the former and renowned Longacres horseracing track will house all soccer operations. It includes a 41,300 square foot office renovation, 10 acres of land activation, and four training fields – two artificial turf and two grass.
Williamsburg, KY - The O. Wayne Rollins Athletic Center, home to Patriots basketball and volleyball, is located on the University of the Cumberland's campus in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Inside the center, you’ll find the Rollins gymnasium with 1,670 fixed seats and additional seating space for 1,200 on the floor and in the top concourse. In addition to athletics, the gymnasium also plays host to everything from concerts to convocation. With some events are larger than others, it was important to be able to concentrate people in specific seating sections.
Falmouth, KY - Home to the Kentucky Wool Festival and Kincaid Regional Theatre, Falmouth is a small city of nearly 2,000 people, in Pendleton County located in the northern part of Kentucky, not far from Cincinnati, Ohio. Just outside of Falmouth on Highway 27 North, you’ll find Pendleton County High School, where parents and teachers are committed to doing what’s best for their kids, by providing a positive environment for both learning and athletics.
New Britain, CU -When Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in New Britain, Connecticut purchased gym floor protection from COVERMASTER® for its gymnasium, no one ever imagined that it would get the job done for over 30 years! While Blue Devils basketball and volleyball are the main athletic use of the gymnasium in Kaiser Hall, many non-athletic events are also held there. When new, replacement gym floor covers were needed to protect the gym floor from potential damage caused by chair and table legs, staging, and hard-heeled shoes, COVERMASTER® was contacted.
Baton Rouge, LA - Raising Cane’s River Center, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is a multi-use events complex, that caters to everything from the performing arts to sports, concerts, conventions and trade shows. It includes a 2000-seat state-of-the-art performing arts theater, a grand ballroom of over 26,000 square feet, and an exhibition hall that can range from 25,000 to 70,000 square feet of space depending on your needs. It also features an 8,900-seat ice arena, with an additional 1,500 removable seats, when using the ice surface for non-ice events. That’s where COVERMASTER® comes in...